Chick-fil-A restaurant is being proposed near downtown San Jose

SAN JOSE — A new Chick-fil-A restaurant could sprout on a mostly empty site near downtown San Jose, a potentially busy dining establishment that could help enhance the transformation of a key city corridor.

A new outlet of the popular restaurant chain is being proposed for a site at the corner of West San Carlos Street and Race Street in San Jose, according to documents on file with city planners.

1301 West San Carlos Street at the corner of Race Street in San Jose, shown within the outline. Boundaries are approximate. (Google Maps)

If approved, the project would trigger the demolition of a surface parking lot and a small commercial building with some retailers and a taqueria.

The development site consists of several parcels with addresses that include 1301 West San Carlos Street, 261 Race Street and 263 Race Street, San Jose planning and Santa Clara County Assessor’s Office records show.

Restaurant and retail sites on Race Street near West San Carlos Street in San Jose…..(Google Maps)….Feb. 2023 image capture (Google Maps)

The size of the proposed Chick-fil-A restaurant wasn’t immediately known.

Chick-fil-A appears to be in expansion mode in the Bay Area, including in San Jose.

The fast-food restaurant company has a location at San Jose International Airport.

Separately, in October 2023, Chick-fil-A paid $4.5 million for a parcel near the corner of Silver Creek Road and East Capitol Expressway. The site is next to a Target store.

It wasn’t clear whether Chick-fil-A aims to buy the 1301 West San Carlos site. The potential development timeline wasn’t known. The project is in the early stages of city review.

A trust whose trustee is Rosemary Zotta currently owns the three parcels that make up the project property, county real estate records show. The combined assessed value of the parcels was $1.3 million as of early 2023.

San Diego-based 4G Development and Consulting, whose expertise includes the entitlement of real estate projects, is listed as the principal agent for the development effort at the West San Carlos site.

Chick-fil-A is listed as one of 4G Development’s clients, according to the company’s website. Carl’s Jr., Lulemon, McDonald’s and Panera Bread are also listed.

“4G has excelled at providing program management and project consulting services to the quick-service restaurant and real estate development industries,” 4G states on its website.